• Endorsement or recommendation from a trusted advisor
• Big thumbs up score from an advisory service (objective and third party)
• A friend recommending to another friend
• Referrals or reference given by other people (customers, peers, etc.)
• Experts’ endorsements in roundtable or teleconference settings
• Peers’ face-to-face endorsements or recommendation
• Recommendation by customers or experts appearing in media articles

Other ways to spread the word about your products or services include:

• Networking events such as dinners, meetings, etc. where customers and prospects are present
• Experts’ and/or customers’ testimonials in print ads, mailings, product brochures or commercials
• Celebrity endorsements (great if you can get it)

Silverman, however, cautions “no particular word-of-mouth method works best in every circumstance.” One method may work spectacularly for one type of product and a particular circumstance, while another may bomb. The key is to experiment and find the best way to market your business.